Sparking device for explosive-engines.



No. 863,369. PATENTED AUG. 13, l907.

' J. s. BLVERSON.

`SPARKING DBVICBFOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1907.

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:UNITED :STATES -`1 Afiljnivr OFFICE.

JOSEPH s. ELvERsoN', or oATAsAUQUA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPARKYING DEVICE FOR EXPLSIvE-ENGINES;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. v13, 1907.

Application filed February 6,1907.' Serial No. 355,978.

To 'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, v.TosErH S. ELvEnsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Catasauqua, in th'e county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania,` have inl vented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark ing Devices for Explosive-Engines, of which 'the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to asparking device for explosive engines; and in such connection it relates more particularly to non-conducting means, forf'normally separating the terminals of the sparking device up to the time, in which an ignition of the charge is necessary.

The principal objects ofmy invention are first, to separate the terminals of thev sparking device, by a arrester or disk of non-conductive material, which prevents a spark orsparks to pass'between the terminals, until an opening ofthe disk is brought opposite the A.terminals tofwhch the spark or sparksreadily pass;

second, to provide the sparking device with means to permit of the adjustment of Athe non-conducting disk -with respect to its actuating shaft, so as to regulate the ,ignition of the charge of an explosive'engine, with respect to the position of the piston thereof; third, to so i arrange the `terminals ofthe sparkingdevice as to per'- mit of an adjustment of the same, with respect to the non-conducting disk to compensate for wear of the terby vthe disk; and fourth, wprsvids means forV s laterally the shaft carryin'gthe disk, to change" the position of' the opening thereof, with respect 4to the terminals. l'

The nature and' scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings,iforming part hereof, in which Figures 1 and 2, are views, illustrating invertical sec- A tion -an explosive engine, the'sparking-deyicearranged in the explosion chamber of the engine, the sparkarrester or-non-conductive disk arranged between the terminals ofthe sparking device having an opening or cut-out portion to permit' of the passage ofthe sparks from one terminal to the other, a shaft for supporting and rotating 'the disk, a gear-mechanism for transmitting the rotary movementl of the crank-shaft to the disk-shaft, Vand means for sliding the same inthev head ofthe engine, all embodying main-featuresof my said invention. Fig. 3, isa detail view, illustrating, perspectively, the sparking device, the non-conducting disk for permitting of the passage of the spark or sparks, when the opening thereof, is brought opposite the terminals; and Fig. 4, isa similar r view illustrating partly in section and partly in elevation, the insulating disk, and the means for turning .the same on the shaft, by a lateral movement thereof. .fv Reerringto the drawings, a, represents the cylinder of ,an explosive engine, whichis Vclosed at its upper end` by ahead al., in the present instance' formed integral therewith and in which js `arranged a substantially annular chamber a2, communicating with the explosion champeras, of thegenginv'e. In the chamber a2, is arranged a disk b, consisting of any suitableI non-conductive material, preferably of compressed asbestos, which isprovided with an opening b1, terminating in' .thspsnmstsr sf-thsdisk b, ss shows is Figs. 1 ssd 3.`v The disk b, is supported by s shaft s, passing through thel head al, and chamber a3, thereof, land is rotated by.

a bevel-gear d, meshing with a bevel-gear d1, which by the electrodes f, are secured wires land 2, which ,con-f nect the same? with the positive and negative poles of a source of electric energy, not shown. The terminals -f 'and' f 2, of the electrodes f, are bent and preferably Contact with the a'cesof the non-conductive disk b, Aso as to render impossiblethe passage oa spark or sparks between thel terminals until the opening b1, of

the diskb, by its rotation lays the same bare. At this movementsparks will pass between the terminals f? and f3, through the opening b1, and will ignite the chargelling the explosion chamber a3, which explosion a' well known manner actuates'the piston g, and by the pitman gl, the crank-shaft e. As shown in Figkl, the ignition of the charge in the present instance will take place when the piston g, occupies its highest position in the cylinder a, and is ready to descend in the same.

When, however, it becomes `de.

sirable to ignite the charge at the downward stroke of I.

the -piston g, in which the same has more or less descended inthe cylinder a, this is readily accomplished by turning the non-conductive disk on the shaft c, so as to bring its openings b1, opposite the terminals f1 and f 2, when the piston g, has completed a certain distance of its travel. This movement of the disk h, is .imparted to the same independent of the shaft-c, by means of a bolt ci, secured to the shaft c, which by engaging an oblique slot b2, arranged in the hub b3, of

the disk b, turns the same when the shaft is laterally shifted in the head al, as will bereadily understood in conjunction with 2 and 4, of the drawings. lThel "ignition of the chargemay thus be regulated ad [ibi tum by merely sliding the shaftl o, in the head a1, of the cylinder a, which sliding movement is imparted to the shaft preferably',by a disk c2, secured tothe same, which is engaged by the forked end 21, of a bellcrank lever t, pivotally secured inthe point i3, to a.`

bracket 1?, carried by the head a1. The leverv is' ac-' tuated by a md i4, which, `when the engine is used with an automobile, preferably terminates in proximity to` the seat of the operator oi the same. The insulating sleeves f 3, supporting the electrodes f, are /obliquely arranged in the head al, so as to permit of an adjustment of the terminals fl and f2, with respect to the disk b. This adjustment is necessary to compensate for wear of the terminals, which takes place by contacting with the disk b. The disk b, separating the terminals f 1 and fl, froml each other not alone prevents the passage of sparks between the same, at an inopportune time,A

, but also prevents the accumulation of oxid or sticky matter thereon, which, as is well known, renders the terminals inoperative.

In order to permit of a sliding lmovement oi the shaft z', with respect to the bevel-gear d, the same by means of a key c3, is loosely connected with the shaft c.

Having thus describedthe nature and objects of-my said invention7 what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

chamber therein, electrodes having terminals extending into said chamber, rotary non-conductive means interposed between said terminals having an opening, said means adapted to normally prevent the passage of sparks between the same until the opening frees said terminals and means for rotating said non-conducting means between the terminals of said electrodes.

3. In a sparking device, an engine having an explosion chamber therein, electrodes having terminals extending into said chamber, a rotary-disk contacting with said 40 terminals having an opening, said disk adapted to normally prevent the passage of sparks between the same until the opening frees said terminals and means for rotating said non-conducting means between the terminals of said electrodes, l

4. In.a sparking device, an engine having k an explosion chamber therein, electrodes having terminals extending into said chamber, a shaft, a disk* mounted thereon and having an opening, means adapted to movably connect said disk with said shaft, means for rotating said shaft 5G and disk, said disk adapted to normally prevent the passage of sparks between said terminals, until the opening frees the same, and said connecting means adapted to permit 'of an independent turning of said disk on said shaftY 5. In a sparking device, an engine having an explosion chamber. therein, a shaft, a disk having an opening arranged therein, electrodes having terminals extending into said chamber and abutting against said disk, said electrodes arranged so'as to be adjustable with respect to 6() said disk to compensate for wear between said terminals and disk, and said disk adapted to prevent the passage of sparks between said terminals until the opening frees the same and'means for vrotating said shaft and disk.

In testimony whereof, I have lhereunto set my signature 65 in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH S. ELVERSON.

Witnesses:

ALEX N. ULRICH, J. WALTER DoUeLAss. 

